The part, however, that had me flipping my head in manner reminiscent of Gary Coleman and saying, What you talkin' about Willis? was this bit:
May 8, 1945 - a day to remember for Germans and their WWII opponents. There is a remarkable uneasiness among German elites how to commemorate this day: defeat for Germany or liberation from Nazi suppression?
May 8, 1945 as the day the Germans were liberated from Nazi suppression?
Ummm. No, I don't think so. You don't get to spin the defeat of Nazi Germany that way. You just don't get to do that. Nope.
While I do not doubt there were many Germans who did not belong to the National Socialist/Nazi Party and who weren't wild about what they stood for and what they ultimately did, there were plenty of Germans who were pretty darned happy they were in charge of the country. They were the majority, party membership notwithstanding. There were people who did disagree. I do not doubt this one iota. It was, however, this minority which most Germans claimed to be a part of when the war ended. These claims were taken with a knowing nod after the war, in an effort to get beyond it, but are we honestly to believe that the Germans of today have actually bought into that lie? So much so that these so-called German Elites of today were actually thinking of spinning the defeat of Germany in WWII into a liberation?
Again. No. I don't think so. They don't get to do that.
The average, ordinary German of today is no more responsible for the War and what occurred during it than I am responsible for my government's policy in regards to the Native American population. The sins of the father should not be visited upon the son, I believe is how the saying goes.
That does not, however, mean that the sons get to spin the actions of their fathers into something that is virtually unrecognizable from the truth of the matter in attempt to make it look better.
You just don't get to do that.
Posted by Kathy at May 8, 2005 11:08 PM